Top 10 FedEx Cup earners in history

Now golfers make a lot of money, there's no doubt about it. In the modern day, a win on the PGA Tour comes with a prize of over $1m and the European Tour pays pretty well these days too. But the FedEx Cup is where the real money is at and winning it is financially lifechanging.

Last year, Justin Rose won the FedEx Cup and took home a $10m and this year, with the new format, the winner of the Tour Championship in September will be the winner of the FedEx Cup and win a staggering $15m.

With the first stop of the FedEx Cup Playoffs underway at Liberty National, GolfMagic takes a look at the top 10 earners throughout FedEx Cup history.

10. Steve Stricker

FedEx Cup earnings: $16,994,087

Playoff starts: 29

Tournament earnings: $8,312,087

In 2007, Stricker won the inaugral event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, the Barclays (now known as The Northern Trust). Stricker went on to finish second in the FedEx Cup standings, finishing behind the 15-time major champion Tiger Woods. He has also finished third in FedEx Cup in both 2009 and 2013.

9. Billy Horschel

FedEx Cup earnings: $17,969,431

Playoff starts: 21

Tournament earnings: $6,324,431

Billy Horschel shocked everyone with his FedEx Cup win in 2014. He started the Playoffs in 69th place, but after winning the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship, Horschel had racked up enough points to take home the title. Only one other FedEx Cup winner has started outside the top 20 on the points standings and then gone on to win, Rory McIlroy in 2016.

8. Brandt Snedeker

FedEx Cup earnings: $18,087,577

Playoff starts: 35

Tournament earnings: $5,789,577

In 2009, Snedeker ruined his chances of FedEx Cup glory with a four putt on the final hole of the BMW Championship. Three years later, Snedeker chipped in on the 17th hole at East Lake to pip Rory McIlroy to the 2012 FedEx Cup.

7. Henrik Stenson

FedEx Cup earnings: $19,787,165

Playoff starts: 21

Tournament earnings: $6,029,165

In 2013, Stenson finished runner-up and third in the final two majors and Stenson continued his form into the FedEx Cup Playoffs, winning two events including the Tour Championship.

6. Jordan Spieth

FedEx Cup earnings: $21,468,800

Playoff starts: 23

Tournament earnings: $6,803,800

You could say that 2015 was the best golfing year of Jordan Spieth's life. He won the FedEx Cup, as well as the Masters and the U.S Open, while he also narrowly missed winning the Open, losing in a playoff, as well as finishing second to Jason Day at the PGA Championship. Spieth starts this year's Playoffs in 69th, so would need a lot of magic if he was to come anywhere close to winning this year.

5. Dustin Johnson

FedEx Cup earnings: $22,213,089

Playoff starts: 36

Tournament earnings: $11,656,089

Dustin Johnson's FedEx Cup Playoff stats are immense. He's won four tournaments and over $11.6 million in tournament prize money, more than any golfer ever, including Tiger Woods. As good as his Playoff record is, DJ has never actually won the FedEx Cup itself. He came runner up to Rory McIlroy back in 2016 and finished in fourth place in 2011, 2017 and 2018. Could he finally win the cup this year?

4. Jim Furyk

FedEx Cup earnings: $23,312,511

Playoff starts: 35

Tournament earnings: $8,065,511

In 2010, Furyk was disqualified from the Barclays, the first stop on the FedEx Cup Playoffs, when he overslept and missed his tee time at the pro-am, but the big American bounced back and won the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup, taking home the $10 million bonus.

3. Justin Rose

FedEx Cup earnings: $24,513,204

Playoff starts: 40

Tournament earnings: $10,005,704

Rose has played in more FedEx Cup Playoff events than any other player inside the top 10 earners and he has also competed in the Playoffs all 12 years. The former world No.1 hasonly one Playoff victory to his name, coming at the 2011 BMW Championship, but after finishing T4 at the Tour Championship last year, along with two runner-up finishes in the Playoffs, Rose won the 2018 FedEx Cup and the $10 million cheque.

2. Rory McIlroy

FedEx Cup earnings: $25,139,875

Playoff starts: 27

Tournament earnings: $9,239,875

Rory McIlroy won the 2016 FedEx Cup in dramatic fashion. The Northern Irishman needed to win the Tour Championship and he needed Dustin Johnson to finish worse than solo second. DJ finished T6, but McIlroy was three off the lead with three to play, but a hole-out eagle on 16 helped him get into a playoff with Ryan Moore and Kevin Chappell, and on the fourth sudden death hole, McIlroy sunk a 15 foot putt for birdie to win the FedEx Cup.

1. Tiger Woods

FedEx Cup earnings: $38,639,045

Playoff starts: 22

Tournament earnings: $10,364,045

Woods is the only two-time FedEx Cup winner in history, winning in both 2007 and 2009. The 15-time major champion nearly stole the FedEx Cup last year from Justin Rose, when he won the Tour Championship at East Lake, his first victory since 2013 and his 80th PGA Tour title.